Wednesday 17 August 2016

The first 6 months of the year - my favourites so far: part 6

Dan Whitehouse - Introducing EP

Dan Whitehouse has just signed to one of my favourite record labels, Reveal. The Birmingham-based singer songwriter's last album Raw State remains one of the best albums of the last couple of years for me.  Dan also played a great session on the show in May 2015 and I'm hoping he might come on again in the near future.

Introducing is his first release for his new label and is a mix of Dan's own songs and some choice selections of songs written by others - Boo Hewerdine, Chris Wood and Cowboy Junkies. In fact as much as I love Cowboy Junkies I think I prefer Dan's version's of their song Sun comes up, it's Tuesday morning to the CJ one. The EP, or is it a mini-album, features wonderful Norfolk based singer songwriter and Quiet Revolution favourite Jess Morgan on the opening song Close up. I last heard that sung by it's writer Boo Hewerdine when he played at the Jubilee Hall in Market Harborough last autumn. Introducing is one you need in your collection and is a taste of things to come on perhaps a full length album? I look forward to it.

http://dan-whitehouse.com

https://youtu.be/qnrjlSNvqY0

Megson - Good times will come again

The Guardian's Robin Denselow has described Megson as "the most original duo on the British folk scene" with Neil Spencer of The Observer referring to them as "a force in the folk revival". Megson are Stu and Debs Hanna, a couple from Teeside who have been based in Cambridgeshire for a number of years now.  They have made consistently gorgeous music since 2003's album On the side. which is when I first came across them. Their latest album is a very welcome addition to their recorded works and could be described as very much for our times. I've kind of fallen in love with it all over again having seem them at Broadstairs Folk Week on 7th August. I've already played quite a few tracks on the Quiet Revolution, expect more on future shows.

www.megsonmusic.co.uk

https://youtu.be/GrxJX7p4R_U

Adam Holmes and the Embers - Brighter Still

I was pointed in the direction of Adam Holmes and the Embers music by way of a tweet from Ross Wilson AKA Blue Rose Code. This was at the time of the Edinburgh troubadour's previous album Heirs and Graces which was produced by the legendary John Wood. Adam has drawn comparisons with John Martyn and it has been suggested he combines a mix of americana and celtic soul. I rather like that description. I've dipped into this album a good deal on my show and my current favourite track is Joanna. Worth buying the album for that song alone. Oh and did I mention Eddi Reader duets with Adam on one of the tracks? It's called Love down the line in case you were wondering.

If you've not yet discovered Adam's music I encourage you to rectify that.

www.adamholmesandtheembers.com 

https://youtu.be/ajZ9VDEv6zQ

My girl the river - This 'ain't no fairytale

Kris Wilkinson-Hughes is from Louisiana and her husband Joe Hughes is from Coventry.  They are based in Bedford and before forming My girl the river put out music under the name Cicero Buck.
This 'ain't no fairytale is their debut album as MGTR and it's a wonderful record. At the moment I'm pretty much hooked on the Woods behind our house, it's been an ear worm for a while now! Yet the rest of this album is equally as fine. Great singer songwriters in their own right, Jonathan Byrd and Will Kimbrough, both Quiet Revolution favourites, are to be found on the album alongside Kris and Joe. Kris is also a big Talk Talk fan and the art direction for the album was undertaken by James Marsh.

Kris and Joe came into the studio and played a fantastic live session in July. I'm hopeful this will be the first of a number of visits to Market Harborough.

www.supertinyrecords.com

https://youtu.be/6ca8On9M1Uo

Spain - Carolina

Spain were another real find for me in 2016. I can't believe I haven't been aware of them before, after all the band have been around since 1995. Well I'm glad to have come upon their music now albeit late.

Josh Haden fronts the band and this new album is his first for 2 years. There are songs on Carolina about the Great Depression, mining disasters and Josh's own childhood in Malibu. Kenny Lyon who has worked with Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and The Lemonheads, amongst others, produced the record and he's made a great job of it. Why not have a listen?

www.spaintheband.com 

https://youtu.be/H1L4nm78B0A




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